Cheveners explore the future of business!

Did you ever wish there was a way to address a pressing social problem that you deeply care about while using your talents and strengths in the business world?

Well, then social entrepreneurship just might be the thing for you!

This past Friday, 20 April, a group of Chevening Scholars had the privilege of learning about this new type of business venture from the best on the field. We were welcomed by Dr Richard Hull, Director, MA Social Entrepreneurship, Institute for Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship, Goldsmiths, University of London, at The Foundry.

The Foundry, by the way, is a co-working space that hosts dozens of social enterprises. Dr Hull highlighted the diversity of fields intersecting with social enterprises, and how they all have in common a focus on solving social issues that can go from environmental conservation to poverty alleviation. Some of the most famous social enterprises you’ve probably heard of, for example, are TOMS and Blue Ventures. Having a social enterprise really contributes to gearing business towards achieving true sustainable development.

After this informative introduction, we heard from a series of wonderful social entrepreneurs who shared their experiences and the most valuable lessons they had learned in their journeys.

The first speaker was Marice Cumber, the Founder and Director of Accumulate. Through Accumulate, Marice uses the power of community and the creative industries to help people break out of the circle of homelessness. She does so by providing them with creative workshops (mainly photography) and with a strong support network that can later lead them to gain scholarships to join Ravensbourne, a prestigious university in London that specialises in the creative arts.

Next, we met John Peter Archer and Lindsey Noakes, the co-founders of Gather, a start-up that uses a collaborative, data-led approach to solve urban sanitation problems in low-income communities. John and Lindsey stressed the importance of building partnerships with other organisations and businesses that are innovative and willing, to lower the costs of operations for the enterprise and to be able to invest more in the goal. They also highlighted the value and appreciation they have for all the volunteers they constantly work with.

We also heard from Guillemette Dejean, the COO of Chatterbox. Chatterbox is a social enterprise that trains and connects refugees to be language tutors for users who are trying to improve their language skills, whether they’re individual users or other enterprises. Chatterbox follows a motto of highlighting culture and empowerment, and changing the charity paradigm and the way we view the refugee population.

Finally, we welcomed David Ryan, the Head of Sales of Toast Ale, an innovative social enterprise that brews award-winning beer using surplus fresh bread that is often discarded by big catering and other food businesses. Toast Ale is already expanding worldwide and David highlighted how the local partnerships they’re building have the support of a global network of people who deeply care about the mission of the company: to contribute to raising awareness and acting on the problem of food waste.

At the end of this fascinating evening, scholars had a chance to chat and network with the panelists (and raise a toast with Toast Ale) and even to brainstorm some ideas for future social enterprises with fellow Cheveners!

Definitely an inspiring night.